The Forsaken Hero

A soft golden glow emanated out of my soul, tracing along the threads of mana and enveloping Dyson. He stiffened as the power flowed into him, and he gazed at me in wonder. As the spell ended, I slumped against him, panting, held up only by his supporting strength.

No sooner had I finished than the five cloaked figure’s spells completed. Acting as one, they raised their hands, summoning magic circles in the air before them. The glowing runes illuminated the entire alley, chasing the shadows to the far corners.

Suddenly the air filled with the stench of ozone, Red lightning blasted out of their hands, filling the entirety of the alley in a massive, electrical cone. Scarcely had the first sparks appeared then Dyson yanked me behind him, a grim expression upon his face, shielding me with his body.

But the gesture made little difference as the storm of lightning washed over us, filling every nook and cranny with crackling arcs. The paving stones blackened and cracked wherever the glowing tendrils struck, the spell glowing so bright it forced me to cover my eyes.

Despite the ferocity of the combined third-circle spells, the lightning dispersed harmlessly the moment it struck my skin, leaving behind only a soft, numbing tingle. Dyson flinched as a particularly large bolt struck him directly in the chest, but the magic failed to so much as singe his clothes. He glanced at me and I nodded.

”They can’t hurt you with magic, but there’s still four of them, and their souls are all third level. If we kill a few of them, the rest might-”

”Hold up,” he said, giving me a shocked glance. ”Kill? But they’re...people!”

”But they’re trying to enslave me...” I whispered, looking up at him with wet eyes. ”And...and...”

He hesitated for a moment and then nodded. ”You’re right. This is no time to get squeamish. Don’t worry, no matter what happens, I’ll protect you.”

Thinking us stunned, the cloaked figures advanced. ”Kill the man, capture the girl!”

”Stay back,” Dyson whispered. He gave me a final squeeze and pushed me away, slipping through the flickering blasts of red lightning like a ghost in the fog. His soul glowed as he activated a magical technique and his entire body shimmered, growing dim and blurry. Were it not for the Eyes of Fate, I would have lost sight of him entirely.

The magic died and the men charged forward, swords sheathed in various magical techniques. As it was revealed I stood alone, they slowed, eyes darting around suspiciously. But If my demonkin eyes couldn’t trace Dyson, then they stood no chance.

Steel flashed and a scream rose to pierce the night. One of the cloaked figures toppled over, clutching at his throat. Blood spurted between his fingers, his mouth working soundlessly, until the light faded from his terrified eyes, and he went limp.

”What the hell? Derek grab her, the rest of you spread out!”

Dyson struck again, but this time the robed figures were ready. Torrents of magic flashed out of the dark as blades clashed, and the thief’s target flew back, slamming into the alley wall. But even as he coughed up blood, he pressed his hand to his chest and a Circle of Life magic materialized around him, healing his wounds.

The other assailants collapsed onto Dyson, striking hard and fast. Despite the severity of the level differences, their cohesive teamwork pushed him back. It was the same as when we fought Vithrass, back in the goblin lair. Additionally, Dyson specialized in stealth, ambush, and utility, not upfront combat, and was forced to rely on Adaptive Resistance to nullify their magical techniques to keep up.

Helpless to aid him further, I tore my attention away to the one directed to capture me. My tail trembled as he stepped toward me, a disgusting leer spread across his face. I stumbled back but came up short as I collided with the alley wall.

”Not so brave without your man,” he cackled, waggling his fingers threateningly. ”I hope they keep him alive just long enough to witness your screams turn to moans. Just thinking of your warm flesh beneath my fingers...” he shivered and sheathed his sword, hand looming above me.

I shrank away, barely holding my staff in trembling fingers. ”N-no, please! Stay back!”

”The Joys call, slave. There’s nowhere to hide. And soon, I can promise you won’t want to.”

His hand closed around my neck, and I screamed. His grip was the cold iron of a collar, choking the breath from my lungs. Dyson shouted something, and time seemed to slow. Driven by primitive instinct, my soul burned with light, and I forced a breathless whisper.

”Binding Winds!”

The air stirred as three magic circles blossomed around my feet. The man froze, glancing down in surprise, as a breeze picked at his clothes. A heartbeat later, his hand vanished from my throat as he was torn into the air, bound by writhing currents of wind.

His cries attracted the attention of his companions, but Dyson took the moment to release a fourth-level magical technique, putting them on the defensive. The man didn’t seem too intimidating anymore, flailing around and shouting obscenities.

”Put me down, slut!” he roared, ”Damned Slave, I’ll make your life a living hell!”

I shivered and hugged myself, leaving my staff to float on its own. After taking a few moments to steady and regain control of my trembling body I slowly raised my hand.

”No!” I whispered. ”I’m free.”

I dropped my hand and the winds responded, spinning into a furious downward cyclone. The fury of the gale put a pause in the fight across the alley, and all eyes followed the spellbound man as he plummeted to the ground. His scream rose until the moment he struck the paving stones.

A sickening crunch replaced his cries, and the street cracked with the force of the impact, his body twisting in broken, unnatural angles. Blood spurted from his chest as his ribs fractured and tore through his skin, and his screams turned into wet gurgles.

The cloaked figures stared at the corpse in horror, a distraction Dyson took advantage of. His blades struck the stunned men, cutting down two where they stood and leaving only the leader.

A wave of dizziness overtook me, and I swooned as the world spun. My soul had only just reached the point of casting third-circle spells, and now I’d cast two in quick succession. Dyson was there in a heartbeat, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and drawing me close. I rested my head against his shoulder, too tired to protest as blood from one of his wounds splashed across my cheek.

”Starlight,” he said, voice soft in disbelief, ”You just...I mean...”

”W-what the hell?” The sole survivor of the cloaked men finally stammered. He took an uncertain step back, his hand dipping into his cloak.

”Not so easy prey, are we?” Dyson asked, flicking the blood from his blade.

”No, no, this isn’t right. This isn’t what he said!” the man said, speaking rapidly to himself. His eyes rolled in madness, locking onto me. ”You’re supposed to be weakened! To surrender to the Joys!”

”I am weakened,” I murmured, hugging closer to Dyson. Thoughts raced through my mind, none of them leading me to better places. What was he talking about? How did they know about me?

”No, it won’t end like this. I won’t go back in failure!”

The man withdrew his hand, holding a large chunk of black crystal. My eyes widened as I recognized it.

”A shadow golem!” I cried. Although this one was larger than the others, it held the same runes and feeling of the cores that came from the golems we killed.

”Can you stand?” Dyson asked solemnly.

I reached out and summoned my staff to my hand. No sooner had Dyson drawn his other sword than ribbons of mana burst from the cloaked man’s soul and streamed into the crystals, which began to glow with a dark inner light. Shadows flowed from the darkened streets, collecting around the crystals. The stone rose from the men’s hands and the blackness took on shape, forming into creatures identical to the monsters in the woods, save it was almost fifteen feet tall. The stone emitted fourth-level pressure, nearly forcing the breath from my lungs.

”Kill the man, claim the girl, and-agh!”

The man stumbled, pawing at his chest. An arrow sprouted from his chest, still quivering from the force of the impact. Vines sprouted from the shaft, wrapping around his body and growing long, vicious thorns. Blood leaked from dozens of puncture wounds, but the man was too dead to squirm.

”Dyson, Starlight!” A shadow dropped from the roof of an adjacent building into the alley. Rasce drew back his hood, glaring at the dead man’s corpse. ”Sorry I’m late.”

Dyson heaved a sigh of relief. ”Where’s the lovebirds?”

”On their way. I dropped by to let Sorrin know something happened first. Is that another one of those golems?”

The shadow golem took a step forward, its eyes glowing with malice, and uttered in a voice like brittle razors, ”Kill...”